New England Entertainment Digest - Online
Brought to you by JAC Publishing & Promotions!

Nickelodeon's The Backyardigans Live! Tale of the Mighty Knights Comes to Boston's Backyard

BOSTON, MA: Nickelodeon and Broadway Across America – Boston are delighted to announce a brand-new, national touring production of THE BACKYARDIGANS LIVE! TALE OF THE MIGHTY KNIGHTS which makes a stop at The Colonial Theatre May 31 – June 1, 2008 for 5 performances only! Tickets for The Backyardigans Live! are on sale now through an authorized ticket seller found only at Ticketmaster 617-931-2787, at all Ticketmaster outlets, by visiting www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com and directly at The Colonial Theatre Box Office, 106 Boylston Street, Boston and at The Opera House Box Office, 539 Washington Street, Boston. Patrons interested in Member tickets should call 1-866-551-7469. For groups of 10 or more, call Broadway Across America – Boston Group Sales at 1-866-633-0194. The Backyardigans Live! is part of the Broadway Across America – Boston 2007-2008 Family Series.

“We’re excited about our latest live theatrical endeavor for families,” said Stuart Rosenstein, Senior Vice President, Resorts and Theatricals, Nickelodeon Recreation. “The Backyardigans has proven to be a huge hit with Nickelodeon families, and based on the enormous success of the Dora and Diego Live shows, we’re confident The Backyardigans Live! will have the same fantastic response from kids and parents across the country.”

“We are incredibly proud to be partnering again with Nickelodeon on this new tour of The Backyardigans Live,” said Jennifer Costello, Senior Vice President Theatrical - Production, Broadway Across America. “Combining a top-notch creative team with one of the highest-rated shows on children’s programming, we are excited about producing another smash-hit with this production.”

The Backyardigans Live! Tale of the Mighty Knights, based on the primetime Nickelodeon special which premiered Jan. 14, 2008, follows Nickelodeon’s backyard friends, Uniqua and Tyrone, as they become Knights and embark on a quest to protect King Pablo’s unpredictable egg. Along the way, Grabbing Goblin Austin and Flighty Fairy Tasha join the medieval mayhem as the runaway egg hatches feet and makes an unexpected dash all the way up to Dragon Mountain. The Backyardigans will need the audience’s help to face a mighty dragon and return the egg to the king. The Backyardigans Live! will have the entire family singing, dancing and laughing along to songs of courage, friendship and the power of imagination.

The Backyardigans Live! includes some of the same creative team that produces The Backyardigans for Nick Jr. television, including Emmy-nominated writer, Adam Peltzman, and choreographer, Beth Bogush. Drama Desk Award-nominated director, Lou Jacob, has also signed on to direct the production.

On Tuesday, Jan. 22, Nickelodeon and Sony BMG released the ultimate playtime playlist when The Backyardigans: Born to Play CD hit retailers nationwide. The third CD from the hit series features 22 new tracks, with six songs from “Tale of the Mighty Knights” including Adam Pascal performing the Zepellinesque rock-opera ballad “Not an Egg.” The CD will also be available digitally on iTunes, with a special deluxe-edition that includes four bonus exclusive tracks and a digital folder. Additionally, beginning February 26 The Backyardigans Tale of the Mighty Knights, one-hour television movie will be available on DVD at retailers nationwide.

Since its debut on Nickelodeon’s preschool weekday lineup, The Backyardigans has become the number-two-rated preschool show on all of commercial TV among the target audience of preschoolers*.

Nickelodeon and Broadway Across America’s most recent project, Go, Diego, Go Live! The Great Jaguar Rescue has sold more than 600,000 tickets and has set the bar for touring family shows as the Top Grossing Touring Family Show at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Go, Diego, Go! Live will travel to 40 markets across the U.S. and Canada in 2008. For more information, visit www.nickjr.com.

PERFORMANCES ARE: Saturday at 11:00am, 2:00pm and 5:00pm
Sunday at 11:00am and 2:00pm

TICKETS ARE: $15.00 to $50.00